Vitamin Sea Project 2026: Introducing the Ullapool Women’s SUP Club

We love this time of year because it’s when our Vitamin Sea projects around the UK get into full swing. At the end of May, we kicked off one of our new projects in Ullapool, Scotland. 

Cal led a women-only introductory paddleboarding session for women who were experiencing isolation, low confidence, caring responsibilities, or limited access to outdoor wellbeing activities on Lochbroom in Ullapool.

This is part of an ongoing partnership with Stepping Stones, a project designed to help more people access Scotland’s natural spaces. 

Kristen, a blue and green health prescriber, identified women who she felt would benefit from trying paddleboarding in a safe, relaxed environment. 

The sessions were fully funded by Stepping Stones, which removed the financial barriers to entry to watersports for the women who came along. 

All their equipment was provided to ensure everyone’s safety on the water and to help all those taking part learn what you need to stay safe when you’re out on a paddleboard on your own. 

One of the main aims of these sessions was to start building a community of women who can support each other to spend time in nature, as well as to help improve their wellbeing through time spent in our blue spaces. 

Although many of the women arrived feeling a little nervous, their comments after the session and their smiles while they were on the water told a different story.

“I LOVED that. I know this sounds cheesy but when we got out onto the water we became one. Everyone was celebrating and cheering on each other. For me, being with other women was exactly what I needed.”

“The sessions have not just been a game changer for me, but now my partner and I have something to do together. Our weekends and holidays are totally different now and I think it’s because I am so much more confident in myself.”

All the women who joined us for this introductory session said they’d love to go out on the water again and that they’d got to know someone new having participated – which we love to hear! 

They also shared how peaceful it felt being out on the water, and that they learned more about our native seabirds while they were paddleboarding. 

The ultimate aim is to create a women’s SUP club in Ullapool that can foster community and encourage the women who participate in the Seaful Vitamin Sea sessions to continue spending time together on the water. 

We’re planning to run more SUP sessions in Ullapool as part of our Vitamin Sea project this year and by the end of the season we hope to have the SUP club up and running. 

We can’t wait to see how the community comes together, what new ocean connections they all make and how spending time on or around the water brings a range of health and wellbeing benefits to all the women who take part.